Telephone-index.



PATENTED AUG. 27, 1907.

J. B. HALE.

TELEPHONE INDEX.

APPLIOIATION FILED JUNE16.1906.

TELEPHON 5 INDEX.

To all whom it may concern:

-Be it known that I, JOSHUA B. HALE, a citizen of the United States, residing at the city of Providence, in the county of Providence and State of Rhode Island, have I 5 invented certain new and useful Improvements in Telephone-Indexes, of which the following is a specitication, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawing.

This invention relates to improvements in telephone indexed directory and has for its object to provide an extremely simple, inexpensive and convenient indexed booklet to be attached to the ordinary oilice or house telephone for ready reference.

* A further object of the invention is that the same may be very readily attached to and detached from the telephone without the use of tools.

A special feature of my invention is that this index is provided with a wire loop or bail by which the same is suspended from the transmitter, said bail being bent into an inverted U-shape, the ends of which are formed into'a coil or circle to pass through eyes formed 'in the back, leaves and cover of the little booklet to I, receive the wire, thus forming a loose binding for retaining the leaves. This bail is adapted to be 5. readily passed over the mouthpiece of any telephone by which the index is suspended directly in front of the user and in convenient reach of the hand. The eaves of the booklet are all made flexible and the lower portion of the stiffened backing is cut away leaving the .0 {whole back of the booklet flexible in order to facilitate "the opening of the same. The leaves of the booklet are indexed along their lower edge in such a manner that the finger may be rapidly passed along the same, bend 5' back the flexible leaves and open the book to the de- 5 'sired page without loss of time and by the use of but one hand.

Another important feature of the invention is that the loop by which the booklet is suspended is adapted to be turned down flat against the face of the same so 0 that it may be made more compact to be readily received in an envelop for convenient transportation I through the mails.

' p The invention is fully set forth in this specification andmore particularly pointed out in the appended 5"claims.

i In the accompanying drawings: Figure 1-reprcscnts a front elevation" of the telephone index or booklet showing the suspending bail at its upper edge and the l'eaves alphabetically indexed at its lower edge. Fig.

: 9 2is a sectional view through one of the eyes of the booklet showing the manner in which the bail is conl nccted to the back, front and leaves of the same and 1 illustrating the manner in which said bail serves as a loose binding for the leaves. Fig. 3 is the same as a Fig. 2 showing the bailturned tlown against the face of the booklet to make-the some more compact and more 1 I l l D Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed June 16,1906. Serial No. 322.068.

UNITED sm igmi "oi rion.

JOSHUA B. HALE, OF PROVIDENCE, RHODE ISLAND.

TE LE PHO NE "'NDEX.

Patented Aug. 27, 1907.

convenient for transportation through the mails. Fig. 4shows one of the leaves of the booklet ill ustrating the lines on the same on which the. names may be written, also illustrating the manner of indexing the lower edge of the leaves. Fig. (i-represents the device as being suspended from the mouthpiece of a telephone transmitter.

Referring to the drawings at is the front cover of the booklet which is preferably stiffened being made of cardboard and on which may be printed the name of the device or any advertising matter desired. This cover is provided with eyelets 22 near its upper edge and is cut away at its lower edge 3 to expose or bring into view the marked ends of the alphabetically arranged indexed leaves which extend down beyond said cover.

At 4 is a narrow backing strip extending across the rear of the booklet also made of cardboard and is for supporting or stiffening the leaves at their upper edge where they are bound together. Any desired number of leaves 5 may be held between the front cover and this backing strip 4. These leaves, as illustrated in Fig. 4, are also supplied with eyes 2-2 and are lined off on their faces in any convenient manner to receive the names and numbers of the parties who are most frequently called up on the p hone. A feature of the construction of these leaves is that the same are indexed or marked in alphabetical order at their lower edges, and that thestiff backing is cut away leaving the back leaf flexible so that the same may be easily bent backward to facilitate opening the booklet. Instead of having tabs or small extensions projecting from their edges as is usual in indexing, a portion of each leaf is cut away as at 6, Fig. 4, enough only being removed to expose the marking of those beneath, the balance of each leaf being left intact. When said tabs or extensions are attached to the leaves, the same are very apt to become broken or torn off while by my method of cutting away only a small portion, the remaining portion is much larger and stronger and less liable to be injured or broken off. Then again by this method of indexing the finger may readily slide along the lettered portion-until it reaches the desired leaf whon owing to the flexible back of the booklet the same may be bent and turned back and the book readily opened by the use of but one hand.

At 7 is a bail or handle by which the booklet is suspended. This bail may be made of any desired material and in any desired form but the same is preferably made of wire bent in an inverted U-shape, illustrated in Fig. 1, with each of its lower ends turned back in he form of a circle or ring 88 being passed through the eyes 2 in the backing, leaves and cov'er of the booklet, thereby forming a loose binding for the same, the end 9 of each ring is left long enough to cross and extend beyond the body of the bail to prevent said ends from catching on the upper edge of the leaves. A feature of this bail is that the rings 8 at the ends of the same are bent in a form to allow the said bail to be turned over and lay fiat against the cover of the booklot, as illustrated in Fig. 3, which could only be ac- 10 and substantially flush with the back of the booklet and when said bail is turned downward as illustrated in Fig. 3 it lays flat against the cover.

The transportation of these indexes is largely through the mails and therefore it is essential that they be constructed extremely light in weight and that the same may be folded into a compact form so that they cannot become broken or otherwise injured in shipping by this means.

It is obvious that by the construction of this device that it may be manufactured and sold at a minimum expense, that the same is very easily attached to any telephone as it is only necessary to slip the bail over the mouthpiece of the transmitter and when in position it hangs directly in front of the operator, and by 2-5 the arrangement of the index the booklet may be readily opened to the desired page by the use of but one hand while using the phone.

The device is very light in weight and may be folded into a compact form for safe transportation through the mails.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A directory comprising a plurality of indexed leaves forming a booklet, a suspending bail provided with a loop or eye at either end by which said ball is hinged to the body of the booklet, said loops also forming a loose binding for the leaves, substantially as described.

2. A telephone index or directory comprising a plurality of indexed leaves forming a booklet, a bail or loop adapted to engage the mouthpiece of a telephone transmitter by which bail said booklet may be suspended, said loop engaging the booklet at both ends and forming a loose bind ing for said leaves, and means in the ends of said bail whereby the same may be turned down or folded against the body of the booklet.

3. A directory comprising a plurality of indexed leaves forming a booklet. a suspending bull provided with means consisting of an eye at either end whereby said ball is hinged to the booklet and adapted to be folded against the body of the booklet, said loops also forming a loose binding for the leaves. substantially 'as described.

4. A telephone index or directory. comprising a plurality of flexible leaves forming a booklet. said leaves being indexed at. their lower edges. and a bail or loop constructed of wire bent into a U-shape by which said booklet is'suspended. the ends of said bail being formed into a coil or circle to pass through said leaves and form a loose binding, for the same, said bail being adapted to be passed over the mouthpiece of the telephone transmitter.

5. A telephone. index including a plurality of flexible leaves snid leaves being indexed at their lower edges, and a ball by which .aid leaves are suspended, said hail being -constructed of wire. each end of the same being bent into the form of a ring to engage and form a binding for the leaves. the body of said bail being tangent to said rings whereby the said bail may be folded over to lay flat against the front of the leaves.

o. A telephone index comprising a booklet the same having a s'iillened from cover and a flexible back, a plurality of flexible leaves held between said front and back. said leaves being indexed at their lower edges, and a wire bail or loop by which the. booklet is suspended the same being adapted to be passed over the mouthpiece of a telephone transmitter, each end of the said bail being bent into the form of a ring to engage and form a loose binding for the booklet, the body of said bail being tangent to said rings whereby the said bail may be folded over to lay flat against the front of said booklet.

T. A telephone index comprising a booklet the same having a still'ened front cover and a stiffened strip across the top or binding at. the back, a plurality of flexible leaves held between said stiffened front and back portions, said leaves being indexed at their lower edges, and a wire ball by which the booklet is suspended the same being adapted to be passed over the mouthpiece of a telephone transmitter, each end of the said bail being passed through the backing. leaves and cover. and carried back over the edge of the booklet with its ends crossing the body of the bail forming a loose binding for the booklet, the body of said bail extending from one side of said binder forming portion. whereby the said bail may be folded over to lay flat against the front: of said booklet.

In testimony whereof I allix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

JOSHUA B. HALE.

Witnesses llowxun E. P-xnnou', E. l. Ooonx. 

